Obama’s Visit and ‘Engineered Democracy’

I don’t think there has ever been a time in my life when I have felt so ashamed of being British as I do today. Never did I believe the exalted position of Prime Minister of Great Britain could be bought to such a low standing as has now been achieved by its present incumbent. From Disraeli to Churchill and beyond, they must all be turning in their graves.

Not only have we to suffer the humiliation of having the US President come and lecture us on which way to vote but also a ‘string of global policymakers’, as reported in the Guardian:

“Downing Street has called on the support of a string of global policymakers, from the International Monetary Fund director general, Christine Lagarde, to New Zealand’s prime minister, John Key, to add weight to the remain case. But David Cameron and his allies hope Obama’s star quality will help to win over waverers”.

(What Christine Lagarde has to do with this democratic process, as an unelected technocrat, is beyond me, unless it is a telling indictment of who is trying to run Europe . . . as it certainly is not the people at present!)

Surely this is evidence enough of a man who not only lacks the courage of his own convictions but even by the widest stretches of the imagination, has neither the confidence nor trust of the British people.

At this momentous time, we are leaderless, demotivated and lacking in any dignified treatment to help with our decision making whatsoever . . . And in the same manner to which the EU is run!

Remember, Cameron got into office with the support of just 24% of the electorate on an ’Austerity’ manifesto that those 24% were suitably duped by, as well as the BIG perk of a Referendum, offered not as an act of democracy but a gimmick to get him elected.

Sadly, it worked because of what I call ‘engineered democracy’, something he copied from Carl Rove, the campaign manager of George Bush Jnr. when he manipulated Dubya back into a second term in office. He did it by searching out first time voters, (the young and in the most part naive), who were duped, flattered and cajoled into giving their support to the Bush campaign.

With advisors from across the water, Cameron pulled the same stroke for his re-election and is applying it again with this referendum. It speaks volumes about his absolute lack of any integrity or leadership skills in this application of ‘engineered democracy’.

What our queen must think of it all is beyond me. Whether you are for or against the monarchy, this referendum is about giving up our sovereignty and whilst Cameron seems to be calling on the world to speak about it, the person most affected has to remain silent.

I would listen intently to what this lady had to say, if she were able to speak. Cameron, like all his predecessors, attends weekly meetings to keep her up to date and seek her wise counsel, accumulated from decades of experience. It appears she is now being left to her own devices, as he seeks the favour of all these foreign financial puppets.

Some payback for her advice over the years Dave! Perhaps that is why she is still respected by the vast majority of the people and you are not.

Now let us turn our attention to President Obama . . . where to start!

I remember when he was elected to office and how the tears streamed down the face of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who had campaigned all his life for the rights and equality of coloured people. He could not believe he was seeing a dream come true with the first black US president, who came to office with a strong message of ‘Change’.

What nobody realised was that Obama’s idea of ‘change’ was to usurp people’s democratic rights and hand them over to the corporate world, with odious trade agreements that have taken the whole of his two terms in office to bring to fruition.

Let us also not lose sight of the fact that this is the same man who counselled Cameron NOT to go for a referendum. Speaks volumes about his attitude to democracy! Can you imagine the conversation:

(“Referendum Dave? Why bother, I don’t involve the people. Just look sincere, talk nicely to them and smile a lot”.)

Not only that but he will also be wishing our queen a happy 90th, whilst publicly telling her subjects to vote away her sovereignty, (something he would not dream of suggesting to his electorate!). The subtlety of this is, of course, lost on him and his entourage but not, I’m sure, on our monarch with her decades of diplomatic experience.

Then we have his ‘emotional plea to the British people to “stick together” with the rest of Europe’. Having waded through the political spin and emotional blah, what jumped off the page and left a most unpleasant taste in my mouth was his reference to:

“The tens of thousands of Americans who rest in Europe’s cemeteries are a silent testament to just how intertwined our prosperity and security truly are.”

Their death was not to do with money! How dare he abuse the memory of these brave men and women, who gave their lives fighting to keep us free, something he is now endeavouring to take away with his odious trade agreements. That he sanctioned and quoted such thoughts and words from his insensitive script writers and advisors speaks volumes about the man.

What has become clear to me now is that his financial lords and masters picked him to be the first black president because of his undoubted charisma. This has provided the necessary diversion away from the political and financial objective of getting these trade deals on the books.

We will, I am sure, see the first lady president, Hilary Clinton in November, to offer a similar diversion with which to further the Neoliberal cause through more ‘engineered democracy’.

Returning to his visit, what is also lost on him and his entourage is how his electors would react if we sent (God forbid) Cameron over to tell them how they should be voting. One of our national treasures, Billy Connolly, lives both here and in the US and I am sure people on both sides of the Atlantic would adopt his favourite two-word expletive to show these leaders the door.

There is still a way to go until the 23rd June and much to ponder. The British people have never been in such a powerful position as they are today. What they do with that power will determine the future, not only for them but also for their children and their children’s children.

Something to ponder this weekend my friends. Oh . . . and have a good one. Kindest

Until the next time.

Thinking from his Book: Global Magna Carta. Returning Power to the 99% . . . If They Want It! By J T Coombes